The Hoylake ‘Horse’

Mike Priestly is researching the 149th Regiment Royal Horse Artillery (RHA cap badge pictured), also known as the Hoylake Horse, for a forthcoming biography of his father-in-law’s experiences. Mike writes:

My father-in-law, Dick Jones, a Wallasey man, whose biography I am in the process of writing, volunteered for the army at the outbreak of World War Two. In the spring of 1939 the 149th Royal Horse Artillery [Territorial Army] was founded in Hoylake in West Wirral. It became known as the Hoylake Horse. The chosen location was described by Eric Harvey, one of this group of close friends who all joined up at the same time. “The Hoylake HQ for the regiment was in a set of hutments built in a field off a lane to the rear of the railway station, which led nowhere except to the new golf club house [which became the officers’ mess] whilst the old club house became the base for the gas sentries – in which all three of us started our military careers.”

The day before war was declared, the regiment was mustered at 9.00 a.m. on Saturday 2nd September. The story of the regiment is told by E.W. Capleton in his book SHABASH, The War Story of the 149th Reg’ R.A. 1939-45, 1963, Tinling, ASIN B0014A14SW. In it, he even comments on Dick Jones’s prowess on the mouth organ. He had performed at regimental evening entertainments at Hoylake Parish Hall, like the one held in October 1939.

After the war the old comrades met at the cenotaph on Grange Hill each year on Remembrance Sunday, before marching into West Kirby. By the end of the century there were very few of them left so in June 2001 the remaining old soldiers said their official farewell to Hoylake. The Laying Up of the Standard Ceremony was followed by lunch at the King’s Gap Hotel in Hoylake, a few minutes walk from the parish hall and the Carr Lane regimental meeting place, where it had all started 62 years earlier. The regiment would also continue to be remembered on a plaque first unveiled at Hoylake Town Hall in 1951 and moved to the new West Kirby concourse in November 1981. Since March 1991, another plaque had been placed in St Hildeburgh’s Church.

What more do you know about the Hoylake Horse? Do you have any old documentation and/or photos that you can share? Were you or members of your family in the Hoylake Horse? Mike would love to hear from you via email: michaelgpriestley@live.co.uk

Comments

Hi Mike, my Dad was in the 149 and I have a couple of items including the regimental photograph but alas without the index of names. I used to show up at the annual reunion where the photograph and index was always displayed but I left it too late to get a copy – I always thought Dick would have it but never knew how to get in touch!
Although I live in Nottingham I will be at the Concourse in West Kirby this Sunday for the laying of the wreath in the library. A couple of years ago I did have a book made listing all members of the regiment that I could find and this should be on display
My Mum died earlier in February and Jean Huntingdon a little earlier. As far as I know they were the last 2 widows and I know of no men left
Regards

Long time since we were competing against each other in the Scouts – you in the 2nd WK and me in the 1st.

I have something I’d like you to have a copy of – the “Final Outing” of the 149 OCA – a 13 minute film taken by my dad, Stan Hankin, transcribed onto a DVD. It’s essentially a coach ride around the pubs of the Wirral and North Wales. Your dad appears in it several times…

I also have an hour and twenty minutes of “Wirral Scouts” from 1960 – 1963 – you and I, and both our fathers appear fleetingly throughout the video.

I’m living in WK now, so I’ll come down to the Concourse on Sunday, and give them to you.

Hi, just spotted your comments about 149th, my lovely granddad Tom Marsden joined up in 1939 hoylake beach, he is also in regimental photos, hoylake library and green lodge pub. He may well not of been on 1960’s pub crawl but love to see film – just in case – he was a wonderful well loved man. kind regards Peter Fardoe

The Film is about 800Mb in size, so far too big to email – perhaps we can persuade John to act as intermediary to get a copy to you – I’m quite happy to put it onto a DVD. If we both send an email to John (site editor) he could perhaps pass on your address to me and I’ll post it to you – unless you are local, in which case we could organise to meet.

My father, George Neville was in the 149. My mother now 92 is still very much with us!!!
She was in the ATS as a Gun Site Radar Operator. After D-Day she remustered and was sent to Germany where she met Dad. Dad had parted company with the 149 around Palestine we think (1943/44). to join the Intelligence Corps. So he never did the Italy/Greece bit.

Hi, My father Laurence Loftus was a member of the 149th, he was billeted at an Hotel which had been taken over by the army as a break after returning from Benghazi, he told me that he and a comrade I know only as Sam were allocated a room to bed down but were moved to another room by Three officers, during the night the Hotel was hit by German air strikes killing the Three Officers, My father survived after spending about Twelve weeks in hospital, He told me that the place where he got hit was called Cyrene, Do you have any record of this incident, My father was from Oldham and lived at 14 Alton Street Hathershaw Oldham, I would appreciate any feedback. Kind Regards Geoffrey Loftus.

It was on the 21st January 1942, it wasn’t just officers who died, my grandfather was only a gunner and he was one of the fatalities
As far as I’ve found out, the Germans believed that the hotel was being used to house the British High Command.
The raid took place on the morning of the 21st, the day before Rommel’s big push.
For aircraft took off from Greece, two turned back immediately because of the weather, one aircraft found the target and dropped two 500lb bombs of which one went off destroying the too floor of one wing of the hotel.
They shouldn’t even have been there as they were due to re-equip and move out on the 17th, but they were still waiting for lorries.

Hi John, Thank you for your prompt reply, My father was with the RHA 149th in North Africa when he was hit at a place called cyrene, after returning from Benghazi and not in HOYLAKE sorry for any misunderstanding.
Regards Geoffrey.

Many Thanks Alec, Glad to hear your father his still with us, sadly my father passed away a while ago! When he was hit he was buried in the rubble for several days before they dug him out. Regards Geoffrey

I think my father commanded this Rgt briefly at the end of the war, in Greece. His regiment was
Surrey/Sussex Yeomanry(Queen Mary’s) so he must have been temporarily cross-posted. Maybe
that was normal at the time. I have a couple of photo’s; one of the Regiment passing a saluting base
at a General’s inspection and one of the officers, taken in Salonika in ’45 . I’m afraid they and all
ranks must be gone now! Tom Bristowe

Hi Mike, i dont know if you are aware but i was taking a walk around the Hoylake Grange cemetery in West Kirby and noticed a few military Graves including on of 925419 Gunner H Hughes 194th RHA Lancashire Yeomanry who died on 11th November 1939 ages 22 years.

I was quite outraged to see a Commonwealth War Grave in an unkept manner, i have emailed the CWGC and had a response saying that they employ the council to inspect these war graves every 4 years and complete any works that mat require attention, i wonder wether you have any contacts that could take this on board as i have come to a brick wall.
I have a photo but cant seem to Paste on here.

Hi, My grandfather was in the 149th. He was born in Scotland but lived in Leicestershire. I believe he was in a reserved occupation, so joined a regiment away from his home area. His name was James McGowan Aitken. From the date he was killed I think that he must have been one of the casualties in the hotel in Cyrene. He is now buried in the CWGC cemetery in Banghazi.

I asked my father if he remembered a James McGowan Aitken. Possibly a despatch rider(from your post elsewhere? I’m afraid he does not. He remembers the attack on the hotel though. He was lucky to be billetted in a building lower down in the grounds of the hotel. He was involved in the rescue effort after the air raid, it was not easy…

Hi all.Like the above my late father was in the 149th,Edward Price Roberts,known as Ted or Teddy,I think he might have been the battery cook,sometime he must have been transferred because he end the war still in Italy and never went to Greece.He also lied about his occupation as he was a farm worker,on his pay-book he’s a landscape gardener ! he didn’t tell my mother until the 1950s .My uncle Jim was also in the 149th,Harold James Clements,he was killed,22nd July 42,I was born in Hoylake postwar but now live in Queensland.Cheers Jim

Prompted by a phone call from Peter Fardoe earlier this evening, its great to catch up with all the comments above. As I mentioned to Peter, Eric Harvey, one of the old comrades, is well into his 90’s and living in Hampshire. I’m grateful to everyone who contacted me following my appeal for more information about the regiment, all of which helped me to publish “Dick Jones of the Hoylake Horse” almost exactly a year ago now. If anyone has any more information they can share about the 149th, including the 60’s archive film mentioned in some contributions, I know my wife’s family, would also be very pleased to hear about it. Thank you and best wishes, Mike Priestley

The Old Comrades met once a month at the Farmers Arms in Frankby. It was a meeting that would not be missed by those who fought together. My Dad, Sid Thompson, and Jim Mawdsley, were stalwarts of the group.

Hello Mike Thompson..my father Les Cox was a great friend of Sid’s and Jim Mawdsley, even though he moved down to Epsom in Surrey in the late 50’s. Will tell him about all about this as he is still alive and has lots of information and photos.

Hello,
My name’s Alison Burns and my father Les Cox, who is still alive, was with the regiment. He has put together 5 albums about his war experiences and has lots of photos and things. I will get them out and see what may be useful to you. He’ll be thrilled when I show him this web site..and also to know if any of his old pals are still alive.

Hello Katy,
Sorry to have left it so late to reply. Unfortunately, my father, Les Cox died last week. We will look through his memoirs for Thomas Fisher but when I asked my father about him, he couldn’t recall the name. He may be on one of the many regimental photos that we have so will let you know if I find something.
I’m wondering if my father is actually the last one of The HH to pop off.
Kind regards to all.

A bit late with this additional comment BUT I have been given a copy of the Regimental Photograph taken on 17th September 1939 at Hoylake. It is quite large but really good quality.
If anyone wants a copy or to see it feel free to contact me me Al Green email ajgx4@gmx.com

Just an update from my quarter. Mum sadly passed away at the end of April this year. I did try to get more info from Mum about all manner of things. I am only now going through piles of photos taken over the years and some of Dad’s army days. One in particular is of him standing by the stern rail of the Reine del Pacifico (I assume) complete with pith helmet wearing shorts! The Hoylake Horse ensigna showing quite clearly on the helmet.
I shall now do as I promised and create some pages on them both over the next few months. For the time being I’ve put the image up at this address. but the first part of the address less the Dad_troopship.jpg will be the home page. http://www.biglow.co.uk/ww2/Dad_troopship.jpg

Hi Peter, I think I have a photo of the Reine del Pacifico as well. My Dad was impressed by it.
I think they went down the Atlantic in a different ship and changed to fast liners to go up the Indian Ocean.
Regards,
alec

My Dad, Stan Hankin, also looked back fondly on the Reina del Pacifico, and when I was a youngster, he’d often take me down onto Egremont Prom to see her when she was alongside the Pierhead.
The other Trooper he remembered, but not so fondly, was the Pasteur
I now regret that I never did ask him where they’d been on which ship..

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